My Grave Mistake
by IceArceus
Summary: May returns to Kanto ready to greet Ash. Things seem to be as normal, but is there something she's not mentioning? Pearl vs. Advance. Oneshot. Reviews are greatly appreciated.


**A/N: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or any of the characters in the story**

**My Grave Mistake**

May stood apprehensively at the front door of the Ketchum household. It had been several years since she had been here, and Ash had just returned from Sinnoh. Mrs Ketchum was hosting a party. In desperation at seeing Ash again, May decided to invite herself after hearing about it from Brock. The gathering was supposed to be light hearted occasion for celebrating achievements, catching up on old times…..

But these thoughts were at the back of May's swimming mind of thoughts. She was here for one reason and one reason alone. Ash Ketchum. Her ex- travelling companion and as it happened, ex- boyfriend. The break up was harsh, and it still sliced through May's heart like a shard of ever frozen ice. The firm belief was planted in May's heart that she was not responsible for the breakup, but she was willing to forgive today.

The door opened abruptly, and Mrs Ketchum appeared. Her face registered caution, and May assumed it was from fatigue. Ash's mother curtly greeted her, and May just nodded back. The work must've taken a toll on her. Party planning could be strenuous, after all.

Mrs Ketchum stood back and held open the door to let May in. Her manners had not deserted her, she noted. May entered, and kicked of her shoes so they could join the cluttered pile on the shoe rack. Her heart stopped at the sight of a pair of tri- coloured trainers; the trainers that were so familiar, that she had laid eyes on so many times; the trainers that fitted perfectly on her beloved's feet.

She entered the room hesitantly, and was taken aback. The room was brightly lit, and clusters of balloons and long streamers hung from the walls. Food was laid out on a centre table. It was rich, inviting, but this was only at the back of May's mind. Groups of people were in the room. It was packed, and May scanned her surroundings. Some faces she recognized, some she didn't, but there was only one face that May was looking for. The face that held warm brown eyes, with a handsome nose and mouth. And who could forget the messy black hair that was achingly familiar? A sigh escaped her. He was practically in front of her.

He _was _in front of her. The room spun the balloons around her spun until they became one colourless haze. A feeling choked her, a feeling that could not be named. It jabbed in her heart like a thorn, and the blood came spilling out in a gushing red waterfall. _Guilt._

'May' Ash greeted her with a terse nod.

May froze. Dawn was beside him. She had met her, of course, in Sinnoh, and she didn't seem much of a threat. She would only go as far to say that she and Ash were close friends, but now…

Ash's arms were around Dawn's waist. May could have split in half. She tried to hide her shock behind a cheerful mask of ignorance and happiness.

'Ash!' she exclaimed with false joy.

Ash merely grunted, and Dawn dragged him away, but close enough for May yo hear every word they were saying.

'Ash!' She whispered harshly in his ear; 'Why are you so unfriendly today?'

May could see that Ash's eyes had grown cold, and the brown in his eyes were like the rough, unwelcoming bark of a tree.

'Me?' he hissed. 'Do you not know what she did to me when we were in Hoenn?'

Dawn looked at him, eyes full of understanding and sympathy, more than May could've mustered. Ash bent his head close to her ear, and May could guess what he was saying. Oh yes, the memory was as vivid as scent.

'_Ash?' questioned a younger and uneasy May._

'_What, my dear?' _

_May could see admiration and love evidently in his eyes. She begun to feel a little selfish at the thing she was about to initiate. It was what she had read in romance novels, and the prospect seemed exciting and extreme. _

'_Ash, I'm leaving you for Drew.', May said with fabricated sadness._

_May could not bear to see the unhappiness and disbelief in his eyes. Over the next few days, she flaunted Drew in front of Ash, showing off her test subject whenever she could. She wanted a battle, an exciting duel to the finish. She wanted to test Ash's commitment to her. Ash's eyes were full of anger whenever she saw him, but Brock was there to talk to him. Then suddenly, euphoric mixture of anger and love in his eyes vanished as if they hadn't been there, as if he hadn't loved her at all._

_Throughout the rest of their journey through the Kanto Battle frontier, Ash did not seem to acknowledge her out of his free will. His acknowledgement only came when it was absolutely necessary, and it hurt May more than if someone had plunged a knife into her heart. _

Now, even with Ash's furious muttering in Dawn's ear, she could only hope that time had healed his coldness towards her, and that, now that her plan had failed, he would leave Dawn and return to her.

But the look of tenderness in Ash's eyes as Dawn nodded in understanding and tilted her head upwards to kiss him only told May what she already knew, deep down in her heart.

If she had not been so selfish, so ignorant of emotion, it would be her looking into those warm brown eyes. His hands would be running through her caramel brown hair. But that hair was blue, royal blue, a blue that held innocence and strength. She had been looking for drama, for the intensity and excitement of two boys waging a battle for her heart, and that was her one grave mistake.

**A/N: What did you think? Reviews are greatly appreciated. So is constructive criticism and things you thought I did well on.**


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